Cessna 182 accident near Derby, Kansas, August 17, 1997
On August 17, 1997 at about 9:25 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N9952T, was destroyed in an accident near Derby, Kansas. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the Airworthiness Directive and propeller overhaul not being complied with. Factors to the accident were the propeller blade retention failure and rough/uneven terrain condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 1997 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Derby, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N9952T · registry record · serial 53052
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the flight departed Cook Field uneventfully and attained an altitude of approximately 800 feet above ground level when the airplane experienced a complete loss of engine power. The pilot stated that, 'the windshield was covered with oil,' and by looking out the pilot's side window he was able to land uneventfully in a field. The pilot reported that the nose wheel collapsed during the landing roll and the aircraft came to rest approximately midway down the 1,600 foot grassy field. The pilot reported that all passengers exited the aircraft without injuries. The pilot reported that a short time after the occupants were clear of the accident site the airplane became engulfed in flames which eventually burned the fuselage and inboard sections of both wings. Post accident investigation showed that the number six cylinder was separated from the rest of the engine assembly, the crankshaft was fractured, and the propeller blade was fractured at the hub. Examination of the fractured propeller hub was conducted by McCaully Propeller Systems. Examination showed that propeller blade, serial number K95501YS, had failed in fatigue with the fatigue origin found located in the tread root. No anomaly or material/manufacturing defect was found. Further examination showed that the internal components of the propeller contained a substantial amount of rust and rust residue. The specified time-between-overhaul (TBO) for the accident propeller was 1,200 hours or 60 calendar months, whichever occurs first. The propeller had never been overhauled and had been in service for 19 years since new. FAA Airworthiness Directive 91-15-04, which requires the propeller model to be modified to an oil-filled type for the purpose of crack detection, was not complied with.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: K50 at 9:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:25 pm from IAB, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.